Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels (R) has been named the next president of Purdue University, virtually assuring that the popular two-term incumbent will not be Mitt Romney’s vice presidential pick.

Purdue announced the selection on Thursday. Daniels will assume the job in January, when his term ends and a new governor is sworn in. Until then, he will not be stumping for Republicans, including Romney.

“Effective immediately, I will recuse myself from any partisan political activities or commentary,” he said.

Daniels was considered a second- or third-tier contender for the vice presidential slot. The Indiana governor passed on his own presidential bid earlier this year and indicated that he had no interest in being Romney’s running mate.

Daniels is following a well-worn political path into academic administration. Marty Meehan (D-Mass.) left Congress in recent years to become chancellor at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell; former Oklahoma governor and senator David Boren (D) is serving as president of the University of Oklahoma; and former senator Bob Kerrey (D-Neb.), who is seeking a return to the chamber this year, spent a decade as president of the New School in New York City.